Car-coupling



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1. O. H. OLDS.

GAR COUPLING. 7 N0. 424,6%. Patented Apr. 1. 1890.

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. No Model.) 2 Sheets-Shget 2.

G. H. OLDS.

UAR COUPLING. N0. 424,65 Patented Apr. 1, 1890.

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m TOR i (9% I j BY zy ATTORNEY N. PETERS Phclb-Lalhngraphcr. Wahingtvn. n. C,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES H. OLDS, OF SAYRE, PENNSYLVANIA.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 424,655, dated April 1, 1890.

Application filed March '7, 1889. Serial No, 302,223. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, CHARLES H. OLDs, of Sayre, in the county of Bradford, in the State of Pennsylvania, have invented new and useful Improvements in Car-Couplers, of which the following, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to an improved automatic car-coupler, and has for its object the production of a simple and effective device which without extra fitting may be attached to the ordinary car and be locked with a like automatic coupler on the adjacent car, or may be locked with the ordinary pin-and-link coupler, and which may be disengaged by the operator from either the top or sides of the car.

To this end it consists, essentially, in a frame the rear end of which is of the ordinary construction and can be attached in the usual manner to cars, and the forward end of which is provided with a pivoted locking-dog having its locking-face held vertically in the coupler-frame, and is adapted to engage a locking-face of a like pivoted dog in the opposite coupler, an eccentric or other means for forcing the dog out of its engagement with the opposite coupler, and means for operating said eccentric extending to the top and also to the sides of the car, and pin-holes at suitable positions adapted to receive a coupling-pin when the ordinary construction of coupler is locked thereto by means of a link.

It furthermore consists in the detail construction and arrangement of the parts, all as hereinafter more fully described, and pointed out in the claims.

In describing my invention reference is had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which like letters indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure lis an end elevation of the box of a freight-car with my improved coupler secured thereto and with the unlocking mechanism shown thereon in operative position. Fig. 2 is a horizontal longitudinal section of one coupler and the forward extremity of the opposite coupler locked thereto, illustrating particularly the construction and arrangement of the locking-dogs. Fig. 3 is a vertical section of two of my improved couplers, shown as disengaged from each other. Fig. & is a horizontal section of a modified construction of my improved car-coupler. Fig. 5 is aview illustrating a coupler of ordinary construction locked with my improved coupler by means of the ordinary link and pin, and Fig. 6 is an enlarged detail View of a detached portion of the unlocking mechanism for the coupler.

A represents the frame of my improved car-coupler, preferably of the ordinary construction and provided with an aperture a for the reception of the bolt B for securing said coupler to the car C in the usual manner, with a spring mounted thereupon for the purpose of receiving the jar when the cars come together.

The frame A is preferably provided on one side thereof with an opening a, for the purpose of allowing of the ready operation of the nut securing said rearward extremity of the frame to the bolt B. The forward extremity of the car-coupler is provided with the projection A, against which the opposite coupler strikes, and also with a cut-out A for receiving the projection A, provided upon the opposite coupler.

The frame Ais constructed of suitable material to afford the desired strength, and is preferably cast or formed hollow, with the recess or socket A extending longitudinally therein. At one extremity D by the pin (Z is pivoted the locking-lever D, having its opposite extremity extended to a point preferably just within the outside face of the proj ection A of the coupler, and provided with the tooth or locking-face D extending vertically in the car-coupler. The forward edge or face of the locking-dog D is provided with a curve or bevel D extending from the top of the tooth D to the opposite face of the dog. Interposed between the opposite face of the locking-dog to that formed with the lockingtooth D and the adjacent face of the frame A, I provide a spring E, which, while it may be of any suitable construction, is preferably of spiral form and constantly forces the locking-dog outward from said face of the frame. Bearing upon the face of the locking-dog pro- IOU vided with the locking-tooth D is the eccentric F, pivoted to the frame A by apin or rod 1, which is preferably extended upward to the top of the car and provided with a crank f, adapted to be readily-engaged by the brakeman or other operator.

The pivotal rod f is supported in brackets or bearings f provided with a slot (not necessary to show) extending toward the car, and allowing of a slight movement of said rod when the coupler is forced backward by the jar necessitated in-the coupling of the car. Secured to said rod f at a point above the bumpers O of the car is the lever G, set at an angle to the car. As shown in Fig. 6, pivoted to the free extremity of said lever G by the pin g is the rod G, to which said pin is secured. The rod G is provided at its opposite extremities with handles G which may be readily grasped for the purpose of uncoupling the cars. To allow of the movement of the lever G and prevent its binding with the rod G when being operated, I provide the slot g,i11 which said pin g has a slight movement.

The couplers are of like construction, and when two cars come together provided with my improved automatic coupler the bevels D contact with each other and the dogs are forced backward against the action of their springs E until the locking-teeth D are engaged with each other by the springs E, whereupon they are prevented from withdrawal, and thus securely lock the cars together. When the cars come together with considerable force, injury to the locking-dogs isprevented by so pivotipg them that their forward extremity is within the projection A, as previously explained, and that thereby liability is obviated of the dogs being struck by the opposite coupler.

When it is desired to unlock the cars by operating the rod f or the rod G so as to force the swell of the eccentric against the face of the locking-dog, the same will be forced backward against the action of its spring and the couplers will be readily disengaged.

In uncoupling the cars it is necessary to operate but one eccentric, since there is suflicient movement to one locking-dog to readily disengage the couplers Without operating the opposite dog, and it will be seen that as the rod G can be worked from either extremity the cars can be readily disengaged by the operator when standing at either corner of either car.

By reference to the drawings it will be seen that as the locking-teethD exten dvertically in the coupler cars may be locked together in which the couplers are so placed that one is considerably higher than the other, thus presenting a feature of great advantage. Moreover, the construction of the locking-dogs is such that when turning around a curve the projection A, preferably rounded at its corners, swings readily in the recess A provided in the opposite couplers, and by reason of theircurved engaging-faces the more the car swings the tighter the locking-dogs impinge each other.

In Fig. 4 the spring E, instead of being a spiral, is shown as a long piece of flat spring metal secured at one extremity and bearing with its opposite free extremity against the back face of the locking-dog.

As shown in Fig. 5, when the ordinary c011- struction of coupler H collides with my improved coupler, a link L may be used to connect the two together, having one extremity secured by a pin It, provided in the coupler H, and having its opposite extremity secured by a pin L, secured in the pin-hole A just back of the recess A Should the locking-dogs become broken at any time, the couplers may be readily connectedtogether by a link secured at one extremity by a pin passed through the pin-hole A back of the recess in one of the couplers and secured at its opposite extremity by a pin passed through the pin-hole A in the opposite coupler.

All the parts of my coupler are of simple construction and are strong and durable in operation, and present a coupler combining cheapness and efficiency, which is automatically locked by the cars, and can be readily unlocked from the outside thereof. It will, however, be understood that considerable change may be made in the relative construction and arrangement of the parts of myinvention Without departing from the spirit thereof.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire'to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a car-coupler, the combination of the frame A, the locking-dog D, having the locking-tooth D extending vertically in said frame at the forward extremity thereof, a curved engaging-face provided on said tooth, a spring for forcing said dog into engagement with the opposite coupler, and an eccentric for disengaging said dog, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. In a car-coupler, the combination of the frame A, the locking-dog D, having the locking-tooth D extending vertically in said frame at the forward extremity thereof, a curved engaging-face provided on said tooth, a spring for forcing said dog into engagement with the opposite coupler, an eccentric for disengaging said dog, a rod f, for operating said eccentric and having ani upward extension, and a crank f, provided on said upward extension of the rod f, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. In a car-coupler, the combination of the frame A, a locking-dog D, a spring for engaging said locking-dog with the opposite coupler, an eccentric for disengaging said dog, the pivotal pin or rod f of the eccentric extended upward beyond the coupler, a lever secured to the pivotal pin 01 rod, and the rod G, extencl- Onondaga, in the State of New York, this 5th ing transversely of the cm for operating said day of February, 1885). eccentric, substantially as and for the purpose set forth. CHARLES H. OLDS. 5 In testimony whereof I have hereunto Witnesses:

signed my name, in the presence of two attest- CLARK II. NORTON,

ing' witnesses, at Syracuse, in the county of A. E. PARSONS. 

